Victim Escapes Capture after Several cars Drive Through the Parking Area

SAN JOSE – Pedro Emilio Santos, 25, faces a 10-year- to-life sentence for kidnapping for ransom, commiting extortion to extract money and other valuable things which occurred on April 2, 2013.  Santos’  kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon, battery, brandishing a firearm and tempted robbery charges occurred in San Jose. Santos had waited for the victim in the parking garage at a secure apartment complex.

Suspect phone photo

Sgt. Jason Dwyer with the San Jose Police said, “The level of gang violence has escalated over time.” There has become a nexus within violent crime and gang activity. “The department seeks to follow up on violent crimes and try and prevent any retaliatory crimes that result from gang activity.”

Santos followed the victim through the garage to his car and persuaded the victim to roll down his window to talk to him. Santos then flashed a handgun at the victim demanding that the victim give him money. The victim tried to drive away quickly, but the suspect pointed the firearm at his head, threatening to shoot. Once the driver stopped the vehicle, Santos opened the car door and got in. He then took the victim and pulled him out of the vehicle. He was taken through the garage in a struggle towards a maintenance room, however, passing vehicles caused Santos to become distracted and then he tried to flee.

Officers arrived on the scene and were able to develop a profile of the suspect in the case through a photo line-up. However, during the attack the Santos had dropped his phone and officers were able to locate a photograph of the suspect in the phone. Based on that information provided by the victim, the suspect’s jacket and cell phone were identified as evidence.

The victim was shown a line-up of photos based on the photo line-up the victim was able to identify the suspect who had tried to rob him at gun point.

The victim believes that he was targeted by Santos earlier in the week when an unknown suspect had told the victim that he had a mail delivery. However, the victim had become suspicious because he did not expect a package in the mail. After several minutes, the suspect then came to his door and knocked for approximately five minutes before leaving. A plea hearing has been set for 3/27/2013 in Dept 39 at 9:00 a.m.